Horse-detaching harness



(No Model.)

, W. A. ULRICH.

HORSE DETACHING HARNESS.

PatentedJune l1, 1895.

:Rs co.. n mju., wAsn n UNTTn-D STATES PATENT @Errea VVI-LlzIAM-ALULRICII,v OF FREELAND, PENNSYLVANIA. Y

HORSE-DETACHING HARNESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LetterslPatent No. 540,885, dated June 11, 1895. Appunti@ fnearnumy 11,1895. serial 110.537.972. cammen citizen of the United States, residing at Free- View of one of the trace-couplings.

' and passes through a corresponding perforaland, in the county ofV Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and use' ful Horse-Detacher, of which' the following isl a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in horse detachers.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction'of horse detachers, and to provide a simple and efficient device, adapted to' disconnect a horse or team from a vehicle, to 'prevent injury to the latter and its occupants, in event of a runaway, and capable of being operated entirely by the driv- Ing reins. x

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated ,in the accompanying drawings, and pointedl out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a horse-detacher constructed in accordance with this invention and applied to a horse. Fig. 2 is a'longitudinal sectional Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the backstrap couplings. Fig. 4 is alongitudinal sectional vieW of the same. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view illustrating the construction of one of the rein-engaging loops. Fig. 6 is a detail view of a back-strap coupling providedwith a loop at one end for the attachment of one section of the back-strap.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the draw- Ings. l.

1-1 designate similar trace couplings, composed of sections 2 and 3,' detachably connected by means of a removable pin 4, and

adapted when such pin is Withdrawn to sepa,

rate the traces, and free a horse or other animal. The outer end of the section 3 is provided with a socket, for the reception of one section or portion of a trace 5, and its inner end is provided With a tongue 6, which fitsin a corresponding socket 7 of the inner end ot' the section 2, and is cngagediby the pin 4, which ts in perforations ,of the section 2,

tion of the tongue. The rear end, or rather the ou-ter end of the section 2, is provided with a socket for the reception of the adjacent portion ofthe trace, butinstead of the sockets at the outer terminals of the sections 2 and 3, other attachingdevices may be employed, to secure the sections to the trace.

The pin 4 isA provided With a perforated head, and has a fiange 8 forming a shoulder,

which is engaged by a flat spring 9 secured to the upper edge of the section 2, and having its free end engaging said flange.

The back strap 10, is constructed in two portions, and is connected by a coupling 1l, consisting of a sleeve or casing, having one end permanently `secured to one portion of the back strap, and provided at its other end with a socket 12, receiving the other portion of the back strap.' This latter portion of the back strap is removably secured in the socket by a pin 13, having its shank arranged in perforations of the sleeve or casing, and provided with a perforated head and a flange 14, similar to the flange ot' the pin of the vtrace coupling. The iiange 14 is engaged by the free end of a spring 15, which is secured at its other end to the sleeve or casing, and the fastening devices 16 for attaching the spring to the sleeve or casing may also serve as the means for securing the adjacent section ofthe back strap to the sleeve or casing; but, as illustrated in Fig. 6 of the accompanying drawings, this coupling may be provided with a loop or opening 17, to receive acorresponding loop of a back strap.

1 The pins of' the couplings are connected 4by a chain 19.. with the driving reins 2O of the harness, but any other flexible connection, suchV as a strap or the like, may be employed,

Yas desired. The chain 19 is designed to eX- tend across the back of a horse, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings, and to'have its terminals linked into the perforations of the heads of the pins 4, and it is connected at its center with the pin 13 of the back strap coupling.

The chain or other flexible coupling is provided at points on opposite sides of the back strap coupling, with metal loops 21,provided with ears for the reception of the adjacent links of the chain, and having rectangular openings for the reception of the driving reins. These loops 2l are permanently or fixedly connected with the driving reins by pins or fastening devices 22, which may be removable if desired, and the chain or other flexible connection employed is sufficiently long to allow the necessary movements of the reins, incident to controlling an animal, without operating or withdrawing the pins of the coup ling; but, in event of a runaway, the reins may be lifted sufficiently to draw the chain or other flexible connection taut, and to withdraw the removable pins of the couplings. This will have the eect of breaking or separating the parts of the traces, and also the back strap, and will entirely free the animal, and prevent it from damaging a vehicle, or injuring the occupants thereof.

It will be seen that the detaching device is simple and inexpensive in construction, that it is positive and reliable in operation, and that it is strong and durable. It will also be apparent that it is adapted to be applied to any ordinary harness, and that it is capable y ot' being operated entire by the reins, and it is always ready for instant use.

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing anyof the advantages of this invention.

What I claim isn l. In a horse detacher, the combination of traces composed of two portions and provided with trace couplings, consisting of two sections, and a removable pin connecting the same, a back strap consisting of two portions and provided with a back strap coupling connecting the portions and provided with a removable pin connecting the portions, the transversely disposed fiexible connections arranged at opposite sides of the harness and extending from the traces to the back strap and secured to the removable pins thereof, and reins attached to the flexible connections and adapted to withdraw the pins, substantially as described.

2. In a horse detacher, the combination ot' the traces having front and rear portions, and provided with connecting couplings composed of two sections,one of the sections'being provided with a socket, and the other having a tongue fitting in the socket, pins mounted on the sections and engaging detachably the tongues, and springs for holding the pins normally in engagement with the tongues, a back strap having front and rear portions and provided with a coupling receiving the adjacent ends of the portions of the back strap, and permanently secured to one end and provided with a spring actuated pin for detachably engaging the other end, flexible connections disposed transversely of the harp ness and extending from the back-strap to the traces and secured to the pins thereof, and l reins attached to the fiexible connections and adapted to withdraw the pins, substantially as described.

3. In a horse detaoher, the combination of traces having front and rear portions and provided with couplings composed of two sections and provided with pins detachably connecting the sections, a back strap composed of front and rear portions and provided with l a coupling secured to one portion and havinga pin detachably engaged in the other portion,

the fiexible connections disposed transversely l of the harness and extending from the back strap to the traces and secured to the pins thereof, and provided at opposite sides with loops, and reins passing through the loops and secured therein, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of `two witnesses.

WILLIAM A. ULRICH.

Witnesses:

GEO. NAGLE, H. W. FACKLER. 

